Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

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Perhaps, things will be “explained by science”. But, I find nothing to justify “rather than …God” should be assumed. The scenario can just as well be explained by science yet still include God. The probability of God is the same today as it was years ago.

So I ask the (can be rhetorical) question: What do you (the #4 atheist) think you know?



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Man used to believe in many gods. Science and knowledge killed them off. The last remaining god is used to answer the question 'where did we come from'? The answers to that question have become much clearer in the last century. The discovery of DNA and its implications has probably done more to show where we came from than any other discovery. Once, I was convinced of evolution there was no need for the 'LAST' god.

Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

reason is a tool that can neither affirm nor deny god. "God" in its very nature is irrational.

Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

You seem to assume that religion is the default, and someone needs a reason to be an atheist (whatever that is). For instance how about:

5 The person who was brought up to believe that religion was all aloud of nonsense, and can’t see what all the fuss is about.

6. Someone who just thinks it’s obvious that religion is a silly fantasy. No $hit, just gut instinct.

Maybe you could argue that they have not thought enough about the subject to be take seriously. Although they might argue the subject is not important enough to be worth the effort.

7. Also what about someone who asks the question why does religion exist?

Comes to the conclusion that the reason is entirely due to our inbuilt desire to create religious belief. Hence religion exists independent of the truth of the matter. (If God exists believers would believe in God in just the same way if he did not exist, If God does not exist believers would believe in God in just the same way if he did exist.)

Such a person might well conclude that a typical religious belief should therefore be treated at the same level as any other human fantasy. “I reckon it’s as least as likely I can get to Narnia through my bedroom wardrobe than a biblical God exists”.

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Those who look at the things that science has only recently explained. Things that previously seemed so astonishing that a God, as farfetched as the idea is, was a more likely explanation than anything else. And upon looking at those recent explanations come to the conclusion that it is now much more reasonable to expect that still unexplained phenomenon will also eventually be explained by science rather than the God of the bible


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I always consider the argument “I can not understand this, hence God, as farfetched as the idea must exist” to be horrible, but typical human arrogance.

Compare it to the argument of the poker player who reasons, “I have had a significant loosing steak. I know I am a winning player, hence as farfetched as it might seem the loosing steak must be due to the site/casino being rigged against me.”

Why do people not accept their limitations rather than invent fictional structures to get around them?

I believe that even in the pre technological age, there were still people who could accept that not being able to understand an unexplained phenomenon just meant they could not understand it. And did not use this as an excuse to fantasise explanations just to satisfy their ego. Although I admit modern science makes this position more natural.

Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

what about
5) those who believe that a Christian God cannot exist as the amount of evil in the world is incompatible with a god who is perfectly good and omnipotent/omniscient

Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

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I'd have thought there'd be a million different reasons why people arrive at an atheistic position, or any position. And I suspect that if you had to come up with the most basic 'type' it'd be something like 'atheist is the default position, you have to prove god not disprove god'. I'm agnostic myself

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An Agnostic is an Atheist without conviction. Historically it was an oratorical change, Atheists were thought of as asserting that there is no god, rather than simply not affirming one, so "Agnostic" was coined to assert a lack of knowing that there is a god.

As an aside, Atheists are perhaps the group of people most persecuted for holding an idea in history. Which is ironic since all they do is not hold its converse.

Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

<font color="blue"> That doesn't explain the success of early godless cultures. Religion is socially based, we're crowd followers mostly. </font>

I'm showing my ignorance, but I can't think of an ancient godless culture. The ancient Egytians certainly believed at the very least, in an after life. Can you provide an example of an ancient non-religious culture?

Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

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<font color="blue"> That doesn't explain the success of early godless cultures. Religion is socially based, we're crowd followers mostly. </font>

I'm showing my ignorance, but I can't think of an ancient godless culture. The ancient Egytians certainly believed at the very least, in an after life. Can you provide an example of an ancient non-religious culture?

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I was thinking this as well.
Invariably, your successful ancient cultures were very religious (and probably, IMO, religion was neccessary for their success -nothing sets up a hierarchy better than religion).

Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

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That doesn't explain the success of early godless cultures. Religion is socially based, we're crowd followers mostly.

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I'm showing my ignorance, but I can't think of an ancient godless culture. The ancient Egytians certainly believed at the very least, in an after life. Can you provide an example of an ancient non-religious culture?

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This is just a guess, but perhaps the godless cultures lost out to those with gods. Perhaps the tendency to postulate a god (or gods) is a life-preserving trait.

Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

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That doesn't explain the success of early godless cultures. Religion is socially based, we're crowd followers mostly.

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I'm showing my ignorance, but I can't think of an ancient godless culture. The ancient Egytians certainly believed at the very least, in an after life. Can you provide an example of an ancient non-religious culture?

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This is just a guess, but perhaps the godless cultures lost out to those with gods. Perhaps the tendency to postulate a god (or gods) is a life-preserving trait.

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I would guess there weren't any godless cultures. Probably godless "bands"

Re: Four Kinds of Atheists.
 

5) those who like to hold it over their peers for a sense of superiority because they dropped out of college after 2 weeks to play poker........nah.....